


The three times she was too late [The three lies they told her.]

by Buttercup_ghost



Category: RWBY
Genre: ?? - Freeform, Angst, Anxiety, Canonical Character Death, Childhood Trauma, Depression, Dismemberment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Friendship/Love, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 16:32:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10194002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttercup_ghost/pseuds/Buttercup_ghost
Summary: and then she was gone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not finished with volume 4, so I apologize if I get anything wrong. I wanted to add some white rose in here somewhere as well as imply a little bit of arkos but I couldn't fit it in so -shrugs- 
> 
> I tried my best with nuts and dolts sense I really love that ship and penny in general — SHE DESERVED BETTER — but I feel like it turned out a bit to cliche.

(1.)

The figure clad in white hums, cradling a red bundle in her arms, gently rocking back and forth.

"Mom?" The red bundle shuffled, a head peeking out at gazing upward at the white figure.

"Hm?" The figures head tilted down, revealing a peek of red-black hair.

"You'll never leave me, right?"

It came out of left field, causing the figure to pause. Silver, innocent eyes looked up into worn gray ones.

"…of course not. Ruby, what's wrong?"

"Hm… just a bit tired, recently… promise?"

The red girl—Ruby—yawned, as if to prove a point. The truth is she hasn't been sleeping, waiting until her mom, the figure, would return, white cape tinted red with blood from wounds. Ruby knew what her mom was doing was important, she was a hero, helping and saving people, and one day Ruby wanted to do the same, but she couldn't help the fear in her heart that one day her mom would not return.

"I promise I'll never leave you, darling."

 

 

Just like before the girl laid awake, waiting for her mom to return.

She had left a little while ago, reports of Grimm nearing the village they lived in, not to far from their cottage. Normally it would take only a short time for her mom to return from these kinds of missions, since Grimm tended to stay away. However, the girls mom still wasn't back.

Ruby was worried. She could hear fighting, distantly, and she tried to block it out. Her mom promised she'd never leave her, but she couldn't help tossing and turning. She wondered if yang felt the same, and briefly entertained the idea of going to her. She decided against it though, since her sister might be asleep, and maybe might not even understand the youngers fears. Sighing, Ruby's head turned, gazing at the door. Maybe, she thought, she should go check on her mom. She's done it before, carefully sneaking in to see her mother's battles, being sure not to get caught. Yes, she decided, she'll just get a quick peak of her mom's battle, so she could rest easier knowing her mom's got everything under control.

The girl tiptoed out of her room, slowly closing her door, careful to avoid that one board that always seemed to creak.

It was snowing, and Ruby's slippers were soon soaked in cold water. She didn't mind much, though, shivering slightly she continued forward.

Her mom was up ahead, and for a moment Ruby felt relief, but soon the worry and fear came back ten folds. The white cloak that summer was known for, had dark red patches on it, as if the wearer was heavily injured. She probably was, Ruby realized, to the extent that she could die.

_She could die._

Ruby ran to her mother, knowing if she didn't help her mom would be a goner. The girl didn't see the beast lunging for her, so focused on calling out for her injured mom. Summers eyes widened in horror, before she pushed Ruby out of the way.

Fangs pressed into soft flesh, a squelching sound being heard right before a crunch. A loud gasp like wheeze escaped the girls mom, as the beast ripped into her. Blood flew out, scattering like rose petals in front of the horror struck child.

Hardly processing what she was doing, Ruby fled, tears and screams flowing out of her unconsciously. Before she knew it she was painting in front of her house, exhausted from unknowingly using her semblance for the first time.

What happened next was a blur, frantic cries and explanations pouring out like blood, her father running, a trip to the health clinic. It was just a buzz to the shaking girl, who looked at her red painted hands unseeing. Finally when the sun was just starting to rise, staticky voices cracking from tears, said one thing that shattered Ruby's world.

" _She's gone_."

Ruby came too late.

 

  
(2.)

Penny smelt nice. Well, most people might not agree, but the girl thought so. She smelt of metal ( ~~ _blood_~~ ), of nickels left in the sun, and a hint of flower ( ~~ _roses_~~ ). Ruby breathed in that smell, it reminded her of when she built her weapon, crescent rose, and trained with her uncle.  
( ~~ _It reminded her of her mom._~~ )  
But even more than that, she has come to associate this smell with penny, making it something to cherish. Ruby shifted against her snuggling partner, getting a bit more comfortable. Penny wasn't very soft, in fact she was as hard as metal, probably because she _was_ metal, but Ruby didn't mind. It was a small inconvenience in her mind, and being close to this girl was much more important to her. Likewise, the risk of getting caught skipping was worth it too.

"Ruby, we're friends, right?"

  
Her voice ringed out like a bell, looking down, head tilting in sincerity. Ruby lifted her head up, head peeking out of the red, red, cloak she wore. It reminded her of her mom( ~~ _s blood._~~ )

"Of course penny." _You're one of my most precious ones._

"Promise?"

"Only if you promise too! Best friends, forever, right?"

"Forever!”

Penny nodded vigorously, a smile slipping on her face before it fell into a more thoughtful look.

"Penny?" The girl asked, concerned.

"Ruby, you're my friend, so it's fine if I say this right? You won't leave me?"

"Penny, wha–"

"I think I might love you, Ruby."

Ruby blushed, meeting penny's overly worried gaze. Looking into the robots fretting eyes, she smiled.

"I love you, too."

  
Both were unsure if they meant romantically or not, but for now it didn't matter, they'd have all their lives together to figure it out, right?

Beaming penny nodded, replying in a tone that was even more joyful than her usual voice, eyes shining.

“We'll be together forever!”

 

 

Ruby was running, eyes wide in realization. They were going after penny, they were going to hurt her. She wasn't sure who 'they' were, probably the two who hang around mercury, emerald and cinder. She felt bitter betrayal coiling in her stomach, and tears forming in her eyes. Though she didn't know them to well, she liked to consider that they were friends, but it seems this whole time they were just acting.

Skidding to a stop, a clear view of the arena, Ruby fell to her knees.

Razor sharp metal wires were tangled around penny, squeezing her till they cut through her metal. Weakly Ruby reached out, eyes wide, as penny was dismembered right in front of her.

" _No_ …"

Her hand fell, along with tears, as she shook. She could hear the whirl of penny's systems shuttling down, could hear Pyrrhas choked, horrified gasp, could smell burnt wires, and see as penny's eyes widened then shut down, staring directly at Ruby in abject shock, unprocessing.

Penny was gone.

She was too late, once again.

  
She thinks she might have really loved her.

 

(3.)

Ruby was curled up in a place she made sure no one on her team knew about, taking the blade she removed from her pencil sharpener and gently carving roses in her thighs. She made sure to decorate herself in places that wouldn't show through her combat skirts, carefully tucked away in frills. She pretended to have lost her sharpener, hiding the blade taped to a shelf in the secret closet. Just as she was almost finishing the sloppy rose, red flowing out and painting her hands— _just_ _like_ _back_ _then_ —the door creaked open. Pyrrha walked in, stunned for a second when she found a sniffing, now frozen, Ruby with a blade in her hands.

Without saying anything, she walked over and pried the blade from Ruby's trembling hand, and lifted her up. Positioning her in a way her wounds weren't visible, she carried her to her room.

She cleaned the rose shaped wounds, Ruby wincing at the antiseptic. Tracing the older, faded scars on her thighs, Pyrrha leans in to look in the girls silver eyes, before taking her hand and kissing it. She answered the unspoken question Ruby's gaze held, letting go of the hand she had kissed, and reaching to remove her arm bangles she always wore.

Ruby was shocked to find Pyrrha arm was littered with faded lines and scars.

Speaking for the first time since finding her, Pyrrha stood up.

"Just know I'll always be here if you need me, Ruby. Always."

 

and then she was gone.

 

Ruby was determined, running upwards with the help of weises magic. She clambered up the building, intending to aid Pyrrha. Just as she reached the top, cinders hand landed on phyrias forehead, and her eyes shut with a shaking sigh. Before Ruby could comprehend, she started disintegrating, becoming red tinted dust on the wind.

Too late, she was always too late to save anyone, wasn't she? She hated this, she wanted this to stop. It was these Grimms fault, it was this girls— _cinders_ —fault. She wanted to rip her apart, she wanted to protect her friends and family. She hated her( ~~ _self_~~ ), wanted to turn cinder to cinders like she did to phyria. She wanted to _not fail for **once**!_

And so, with a screech of anguish the world was engulfed in a silver light.


End file.
